A2 Handbook

Name:
EDEXCEL
A2-LEVEL
Music
Handbook
Course Outline
Unit 4: Extended Performance (6MU04)
Internally Assessed 30% of A2 Mark (15%)
Mrs Perkins
This unit gives you the opportunity to extend your performance skills as soloists and/or as part of an
ensemble. You can choose music of any style. Any instrument/voice is acceptable as part of a 12-15
minute assessed performance of a balanced programme of music.
Unit 5: Composition and Technical Study (6MU05)

Externally Assessed 30% of A2 Mark (15%)
Mrs Perkins
This unit has two sections: composition and technical study. The composition section further develops
your composition skills, leading to the creation of a final three-minute piece in response to a chosen brief.
The technical study section builds on the knowledge and awareness of harmony gained in Unit 3 through
the medium of pastiche studies.
Assessment:
Section A (composition) contains four composition briefs from which you will select one as the basis for
your 3-minute composition.
Section B (technical study) will contain the opening bars of four pieces of music. You will complete these
openings in a specified style.
Unit 6: Further Musical Understanding (6MU06)

Externally Assessed 40% of A2 Mark (20%)
Mrs Macleod
This unit focuses on listening to music, familiar and unfamiliar, and understanding how it works.
Set works from the anthology provide the focus for much of the unit. Between works, you should listen to a
wide range of unfamiliar music which relates to the areas of study (Instrumental music and Applied music).
You should learn how to compare and contrast pairs of excerpts, contextualise music and identify
harmonic and tonal features.
Assessment:
2 hour examination paper set and marked by Edexcel.
There are 3 sections:
Section A Aural Analysis (LP)
Section B Music in Context (NAM)
Section C Continuity and Change in Instrumental Music (NAM)
Deadlines
Deadline Date
Exam/Coursework
Completed
Glossary
Photocopy from Revision Guide.
Listening Diary
Complete this listening diary at least once a week, describing your listening experience and what
you have learned/identified.
Date
Name of
Piece
Composer
Date of
Composition
Reflection
Targets
Date
Target
Target Review
Teacher
Unit 6 (6MU06)
What do you need to learn?
1. Set Works:
It is recommended that you familiarise yourself with each set work as a whole before you
identify important musical features, context and/or elements of continuity and change.
Important musical features include: resources, form, texture, tonality, harmony, melody and
rhythm and metre. These help identify social and historical context, and illuminate elements
of continuity and change between works.
You need to learn how to write perceptively about music in particular comparing,
contrasting, assessing, evaluating and commenting as appropriate.
2. Unfamiliar Music:
You need to learn how to listen perceptively to unfamiliar music, developing your skills of
aural analysis. In particular, you should be able to place the music in context (genre,
composer, and date), recognise chords and complete simple aural dictation tasks.
3. Harmonic and Tonal Vocabulary
You should learn how to identify modulations to related keys, chords and chord
progressions. Chords may include all diatonic in root position and inversion, standard
chromatic chords, including diminished sevenths, augmented sixths and Neopolitan sixth
chords.
How will I be assessed?

The assessment for this unit is through a 2-hour examination and marked by Edexcel. You will be given 5
minutes reading time at the beginning of the exam.
The examination is organised into three sections. You will be provided with a blank copy of the Anthology.
Section A Aural Analysis 28 marks
You will have to answer two questions:
1. Comparison of two excerpts by the same composer. You will also be required to place the music in
context.
2. General test of aural perception, involving notating a melody (both pitch and rhythm),
commenting on specific compositional devices (keys, chords, cadences) and providing information
on the historical context.
Section B Music in Context (Applied Music) 26 marks
You will have to answer two questions (13 marks each) from a choice of three:
Questions will focus on individual works
Questions focus on music in context (i.e. how musical features relate to the historical background
or the purpose of the work.
Answers can be written in note form you should aim for continuous prose.
You should aim to give yourself 30 minutes to answer both of these questions.
Section C Continuity and Change in Instrumental Music 36 marks
You must answer one question from a choice of two:
Each question will ask you to compare three pieces
You may be asked to compare structure/form, tonality, harmony, melodic features, rhythmic
features, textures and instrumentation.
You must answer in continuous prose, as your essay will be assessed both for information it
contains and the way you have expressed yourself (organisation, spelling, terminology).
You should aim to give yourself 50 minutes to answer this question.
Unit 6 Checklist...
Set works:
Instrumental Music:
Tippett Concerto for Double String Orcehstra: movement I
Cage Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano: Sonatas I-III
Corelli Trio Sonata in D, Op. 3 No.2: movement IV
Haydn String Quartet in E flat, Op. 33 No.2 The Joke Movement IV
Beethoven Septet in E flat, Op.20: movement I
Schumann Kinderscenen, Op.15: Nos 1, 3 and 11
Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five West End Blues
Applied Music:
Stravinsky Pulcinella Suite: Sinfonia, Gavotta and vivo
Gabrieli Sonata piane forte
Purcell Thy hand, Belinda and When I am laid in earth from Dido and Aeneas
Jerry Goldsmith Planet of the apes: the Hunt (opening)
Gong Kebyar de Sebatu (Bali) Baris Melampahan
Listening Techniques:
Chords and Inversions

Scales
Texture
Cadences
Dissonance/consonance
Styles of Music
Harmonic Devices
Structure
Instruments
Rhythmic Devices
Dates
Performance Techniques
Intervals
Analysis Skills:
Melody: shape, description, style, phrasing

Rhythm: time signatures, hemiola, anacrusis, rhythmic devices
Harmony: harmonic devices
Structure: range of forms
Texture: monophonic, homophonic, homorhythmic, melody dominated homophony, melody and
accompaniment, polyphonic/contrapuntal, imitative, antiphonal, heterophonic.
Tonality: circle of 5ths, modulations
Forces: timbre, instrumental and vocal techniques, clefs for all instruments.
Styles: periods and dates of music, styles of music (e.g. Waltz).
Assessment in Music
1. Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTs):
2. Effort of your Work:
3. Mark schemes:
Music Department
Student Teacher Contract...
SIXTH FORM STUDENT CONTRACT

As a Sixth Former my responsibilities are:
punctual attendance at registration, scheduled lessons, study periods and other

school appointments
a well-motivated independent interest in my courses
wholehearted study habits and time-management to reach work deadlines and the
best of my own potential
a sensible balance between work, paid employment, social activities and recreation
to avoid clashes with lessons wherever possible (eg medical appointments, driving
tuition) and to consult subject teachers about all missed work and lessons
to exemplify in manners, dress and general behaviour that the school is primarily a
working environment where all have the right to learn in an orderly, considerate
atmosphere
for the safety and well-being of all, to accept school restrictions on smoking, bringing
cars into school, excessive noise and litter, etc.
to show a mature and caring respect for and involvement with the activities and
people that make up the life of the school, particularly younger students (eg being a
Custodian or Learning Partner, helping with school events, sport, drama, music,
visits, etc)
Signed (Student): __________________________________________________________________

Signed (Parent/Carer): _________________________________________________________________
Music Department
Monitoring Procedure...
Usually, you all work exceptionally hard but there are sometime students who, for a variety of
reasons, do not make the best of their time in the Sixth form. For their sake, and that of others, we
may feel it necessary to monitor their progress and on the rare occasion ask them to leave the
course.
Below is the procedure followed by your teachers should such monitoring be felt essential.
Level of Concern
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Reason
Two pieces of work
overdue.
Persistent lateness.
Persisten non-legitimate
absence.
Inappropriate behaviour
in class.
Failure to complete
overdue work.
Further pieces of work
overdue.
Continued unexplained
lateness or absence.
Continued inappropriate
behaviour.
Failure to complete
overdue work.
Further pieces of work
overdue.
Continued unexplained
lateness or absence.
Continued inappropriate
behaviour.
No improvement made.
Action
Notification to Head of
Sixth Form.
Verbal warning.
Tutor informed.
Review Arrangements
Date set for 2-3 weeks.
If improvement is made
then Level 1 is
cancelled.
Notification to Head of
Sixth Form.
Tutor informed.
Verbal warning.
Letter to parents.

then Level 2 is
cancelled.
Return to level 1.
Written warning to
student.
Copy to Tutor and Head
of Sixth Form and
Parents.

then Level 3 will be
cancelled.
Return to level 2.
Place on Music course is

terminated.
Letter to student, copied
to Tutor, Head of Sixth
Form and Parents.

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Unit 5: Composition and Technical Study (6MU05)

Unit 6: Further Musical Understanding (6MU06)

How will I be assessed?

Chords and Inversions

Melody: shape, description, style, phrasing

2. Effort of your Work:

SIXTH FORM STUDENT CONTRACT

punctual attendance at registration, scheduled lessons, study periods and other

a well-motivated independent interest in my courses

Signed (Student): __________________________________________________________________

Date set for 2-3 weeks.

Date set for 2-3 weeks.

Place on Music course is

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